By Francis Akinnodi

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Ondo State Government has restated its commitment to continue to empower communities and groups across the state for economic and sustainable development.

This is just as the State Community and Social Development Agency (ODCSDA), executed 127 Micro Projects worth N874 million across the 18 local government areas of the state from the Ondo COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (Ondo CARES) programme.

General Manager, ODCSDA, Bosun Ogundipe made this known during the official presentation of cheques to some communities recently.

He said the Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu led government through the agency would support and empower communities and groups for sustainable development and assist the poor to improve their social and natural resources and infrastructure services.

The Hope reports that Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) was a tripartite agreement between the World Bank, federal and state governments to reduce the economic impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the population.

He said the commitment was to reduce the impact of the pandemic on the economy and the people, which has affected the livelihoods and businesses of many of the states’ residents including Ondo state.

Ogundipe emphasized that the programme was specifically targeted at the poor and vulnerable groups in the society with each benefiting community or group receiving grant of up to N14.5 million to execute two micro projects.

“From the first and second cycle of the programme, the agency have intervened in 63 communities and groups (57 Community Development Plan (CDPs) and 6 Group Development Plan (GDPs)) across the 18 local government areas of the state since the commencement of Ondo CARES.

“Each benefiting community or group receiving grant of up to N14.5 million to execute minimum of two micro projects. The communities and groups contribute 2.5 percent and 1 percent of this amount respectively.

“127 micro projects in education, health, water and sanitation sectors are being facilitated presently to the development of the people and state.”

Also speaking during the project implementation brief, ODCSDA Operations Manager, Olumide Igbaroola said the project has a three month lifeline and urged the project committee members to follow the lay down specifications for quality work delivery.

Speaking on maintenance of the projects, he said people should use the projects when completed for others to use.

“The project committee must be accountable and transparent to the people. The agency is committed about accountability and transparency of the projects.”